diff --git a/repo.new.go b/repo.new.go
index e9327d3..fa1d258 100644
--- a/repo.new.go
+++ b/repo.new.go
@@ -4,8 +4,10 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"time"
 
 	"go.wit.com/log"
+	timestamppb "google.golang.org/protobuf/types/known/timestamppb"
 )
 
 // scans in a new git repo. If it detects the repo is a golang project,
@@ -41,10 +43,8 @@ func (all *Repos) NewGoPath(basepath string, gopath string, url string) (*Repo,
 		URL:      url,
 	}
 	newr.Tags = new(GitTags)
-	// newr.UpdateGit()
 	newr.UpdateGitTags()
 	newr.GoDeps = new(GoDeps)
-	// newr.RedoGoMod()
 
 	switch newr.goListRepoType() {
 	case "plugin":
@@ -57,14 +57,22 @@ func (all *Repos) NewGoPath(basepath string, gopath string, url string) (*Repo,
 		newr.GoBinary = true
 	}
 
+	lastpull, err := newr.LastGitPull()
+	if err == nil {
+		newr.LastPull = timestamppb.New(lastpull)
+	}
+
 	if all.AppendUniqueGoPath(&newr) {
 		// worked
 		return &newr, nil
+	} else {
+		// this is dumb, probably never happens. todo: use Repos.Lock()
+		if r := all.FindByGoPath(gopath); r != nil {
+			// already had this gopath
+			return r, errors.New("gitpb.NewGoPath() AppendUnique() failed but Find() worked" + gopath)
+		}
 	}
-	if r := all.FindByGoPath(gopath); r != nil {
-		// already had this gopath
-		return r, errors.New("gitpb.NewGoPath() AppendUnique() failed but Find() worked" + gopath)
-	}
+	// todo: use Repos.Lock()
 	return nil, errors.New("repo gitpb.NewGoPath() should never have gotten here " + gopath)
 }
 
@@ -75,3 +83,31 @@ func (repo *Repo) SetDevelBranchName(bname string) {
 func (repo *Repo) SetUserBranchName(bname string) {
 	repo.UserBranchName = bname
 }
+
+func (repo *Repo) GitChanged() bool {
+	fullfile := filepath.Join(repo.FullPath, ".git/FETCH_HEAD")
+	lasttime, err := repo.LastGitPull()
+	if err == nil {
+		// if error, something is wrong, assume true
+		log.Info("gitpb:", fullfile, "changed")
+		return true
+	}
+	newtime := repo.LastPull.AsTime()
+
+	if lasttime == newtime {
+		return false
+	}
+	log.Info("gitpb:", fullfile, "changed")
+	return true
+}
+
+func (repo *Repo) GitPullAge() time.Duration {
+	lastpull, err := repo.LastGitPull()
+	if err == nil {
+		// if error, something is wrong, assume true
+		ltime := repo.LastPull.AsTime()
+		return time.Since(ltime)
+	}
+
+	return time.Since(lastpull)
+}